


Ordinary is pretty nice

by ShamelesslyHere



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Ordinary People, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Introvert Keith, M/M, Multi, No Plot, Slow Build, beware of memes, don't expect smut scenes, no major angst, shiro is trying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 01:22:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11025633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShamelesslyHere/pseuds/ShamelesslyHere
Summary: In which Keith is a tired college student who tries his best to avoid having his life complicated by him becoming some sort of “shōjo” main character





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Keith-centered fic.  
> This is how I imagine Keith would be like if he were a normal college student.  
> I shall try to keep his personality as canon-like as possible
> 
> ALSO!  
> I want to warn all future readers that this story has no plot whatsoever; there will be no major angst going on, no big bosses to fight; this is simply a collection of what should look like one-shots, mashed together. 
> 
> Get ready to read adventures of the characters as they struggle with…basically, ordinary life events like college, communication, traveling and really important questions like “Should I cut my hair, get a dog, eat at McDonalds or KFC instead?”

In which it’s morning and since your _typical-ordinary-plain-Jane_ Keith Kogane is never late for his courses, he doesn't need to rush. 

  
  


It's half past 7 am and grey eyes open slowly, squinting at the strong light that floods into the chamber, eyelids feeling a bit stuck together. Keith sits up groaning, looking lost and confused although the room is his (has been, for the last 2 years). Realizing it’s Monday, bless his heart, he is officially awake and as gross as any human in the morning. 

Shoulder-length hair sticking up at weird angles, a nasty taste present in his mouth while his hand is scratching absentmindedly beneath his shirt (even though nothing really itches), he questions his existence. 

It’s moments like this when he starts mentally counting his course-attendance (actually, counting the absences he most likely is still allowed to make, since he’s permitted to skip this particular course only 3 times). But he so far went to every single existing course because…well he just did. 

Deciding ruining his score is not worth it just yet, he halfheartedly gets up, adjusting his boxers. The black pair of fuckers keeps sliding down and he has no idea why but this time, as he approaches the bathroom, he lets his underwear fall loose on his hips before dragging it down completely, kicking it away with his foot. 

He eyes the shower, then the toilet, and the shower again. Should he…? …Nah. Not today. He pees in the toilet, flushes then strips his shirt and showers like a civilized person. _Because civilized people don’t pee in the shower, Keith, that’s just nasty._

Next step : The mirror. 

His face is still showing no signs of wanting to grow a beard, fact which he is not particularly against. It just means less time spent on shaving, more time spent on doing anything else, like plucking his eyebrows. Uni-brows might’ve looked good on characters such as Ancient Greek and Roman people, Frida Kahlo and Ed from _"Ed, Edd n Eddie" (his older brother always scrunched his nose up when he would catch Keith watching that show)_ , but he’s not keen on letting a hairy caterpillar rest above his eyes. Because when Keith’s eyebrows grow, they don’t just grow, they _expand_ , and it’s troublesome to deal with. 

On further inspection, he notices a little zit on his chin and even though he had heard that popping them isn’t doing any good, (and it’s gross as hell), he prefers to pop the ugly things and deal with the red marks that are later left behind. Because, in his mind, a little red dot on his chin is more acceptable than if that dot were to be, let’s say, a more yellow-ish color. And that kinda makes sense. 

_Ah, his eyes._

He always thought the color of his irises meant trouble, because having grey eyes is something pretty rare, and rare equals different, which only means trouble in the form of unwanted attention. A crazy-looking hair and eye color are safe tickets to a life full of magical adventures, adventures in which Keith is clearly not interested. 

Nope. That's not for him. He’s done dreaming of becoming an astronaut, like every other 6-year-old kid out there. He's through with life as a high-school student, where bullying exists and people are labeled. In college, nobody gives a fuck if your hair is green, if you're wearing only black or if you have a third eye on the back of your head. Now you can actually spot your teachers in cafe's and bars and maybe even hang out with them without representing a threat to your colleagues. 

All Keith wants now, at the old, wise age of (barely) 20 is to stay in college and pass his exams; study foreign languages – Dutch as main and English second, to be more precise; buy a plant, so as to give him a feeling of responsibility and maybe travel some more with his motorcycle. 

He’s not asking for much. 

_Right, destiny?_


	2. Toast, Spice and something Nice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not a fan of long descriptions and I prefer dialogues.  
> But bear with me, since this is just the beginning and descriptions are necessary (T_T)

In which Keith knows a dirty anime trick when he sees one. 

  
  


One morning before leaving his apartment, Keith ends up making toast, and as he walks he bites almost furiously, savoring every chew as to prove a point. He’s not about to stroll with the piece of bread between his lips like a walking cliché cause _that's stupid and you can't actually eat properly._

He enters through the university gates (there’s no guard there to stop him, students enter whenever they please) and as he strolls down the alleys, at the shade of a particular tree he notices an abandoned black notebook, on the grass, waiting to be picked up. 

…

…Tough luck, buddy. Keith knows better than to get involved in shady business. 

As he makes his way towards the building where his English Literature course is supposed to take place, various enthusiastic people, all dressed in track suits, approach him with flyers in their hands and grins on their faces. They appear from everywhere, like snails after heavy rain, and they get into Keith’s personal space, talking without being asked to, touching his shoulders like they’re his childhood friends. 

In the extent of 15 minutes, he gets recruited by the swimming team (by a short, blonde and way too energetic shota with a loud voice); by the basket, cycling and even by the stride team (a weird guy kept groping his leg muscles, just when Keith promised himself to stay away of unwanted attention). 

Because, apparently, sport clubs are _a thing_ even in college. They’re just not obligatory like they were in high-school. 

Managing to get away from them, he finally enters the building in hope for a sanctuary, and while on his way towards his class room someone bumps into him… _Of fucking course._ The old – let us bump and apologize to each other, and as soon as our eyes meet, we shall feel a spark and _blah blah_ ride into the sunset.

**Not.**

The person’s glasses fall off, but Keith and his mad reflexes manages to catch them somehow, between his right elbow and knee. (He did it as he instinctively retreated his arms against his body, in a panicked self-hug pose the majority of people adopt without realizing what they’re doing). 

Catching his breath, he grasps the saved glasses in his rapidly-sweating palms and hands them over before resuming his walk, not even bothering to look at the person, or check if it’s somebody he knows. He just bumped into someone and poof – adrenaline rush : blood pumping, hands sweating, breathing-rate increasing… 

This is equally as amusing as it is sad. But the universe likes to tease Keith, since he’s not an easy target, and what awaits him in the classroom is even worse than abandoned notebooks, noisy athletes and bumping-clichés. 

You see, during classes he **never** sits near the window because the sunlight gives him migraines. Plus, there are days when weird shit happens to those who do sit there, like stray tennis balls that come flying, slamming against the glass so _no, thank you_

__

He doesn't sit in the back either because even though his eye specialist said he doesn't need glasses he still has a little bit of myopia. It’s obvious only when he closes one eye and he suspects his strange eye-color to have something to do with this. 

__

So he's frequently seated in the middle row somewhere in the third, sometimes the second desk, usually next to a tall chick called Plaxum, whose voice he never heard (and probably never will). He thinks her voice is either really high-pitched, or extremely low and her face – always hidden beneath caps and hoods – is not helping him at all. 

__

Today, however, there’s an envelope in the desk near Plaxum, and Keith can feel the menacing vibes of that little piece of paper. Something similar to a black fog seems to surround the envelope, and an intoxicatingly sweet smell penetrates his nostrils. He knows the meaning of that paper, too well…

__

**A love letter.**

__

Lucky for him, he spotted it in time, just before flopping down in his seat. The best way to avoid being stuck with a love letter and a trip to the back of the building where he would have to brace himself and reject whoever wrote it is, of course, pretending you didn’t even see or get said letter. 

__

_*If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.*_ Keith closes his eyes as he sits in front of Plaxum, who is currently snoring softly on the surface of her desk. Trying to forget about the envelope, Keith subtly leans his head back, trying to catch on the girl’s light snores. They might help him form an idea of what her voice sounds like, but they could also turn him into a big weirdo in the eyes of whoever might see him. 

__

Two extremely boring hours later, as he’s slowly walking towards the cafeteria, looking around and trying to avoid any sport clubs fanatics, he catches a whiff of a light breeze carrying a sweet smell. It’s a different kind of sweet, nothing like the one that bathed the love letter. This one is a mixture of ordinary Axe but with tints of cinnamon and citrus fruits. It’s refreshing, cool, spicy even, and Keith hungrily inhales until his diaphragm hurts.

__

_After all, he’s always weak for girls and boys who smell great. (There was no grand self-realization moment or self-doubting going on when he first discovered this attraction of his towards girls as well as guys. He likes what he likes, and he takes shit from no one.)_

__

This tall, lanky, brown boy just passes by him and Keith's eyes follow him immediately, intrigued by his voice, checking out his T-shirt and jeans - a nice brand, but with stripped holes near his knees (Keith can't quite say he gets the whole point of buying jeans like that because he knows for sure they are more expensive than regular intact jeans? And that’s counterproductive??). 

__

He’s the source of the smell, obviously. He is also loudly talking on the phone, heavily gesticulating and speaking what Keith’s linguistic ears could recognize to be perfect Spanish, a solid level 5 on a ILR scale, so definitely a native speaker. 

__

The guy has short _but not too short_ brown hair, swiped back, and his profile is nice to look at, despite the distance that is between them. Prominent cheeks, nice jaw and all those nice aspects come together into this random dude that Keith will surely never see again. 

__

… 

__

He spots the guy again a week later _(hah.)_ together with a big dude Keith most likely saw around campus but never took the time to actually remember his face. They seem like they are having fun and shit, laughing loudly, Spanish-guy putting one arm around the big guy’s shoulders (let’s name him Teddy, he seems soft and kind enough.)

__

Keith knows that staring at someone for so long is weird, but these two are so dynamic, their liveliness is just contagious and it makes them stand out from the crowd. 

__

At least, that’s how Keith sees them.

__

His phone vibrates noisily, awakening him to reality. He checks the screen, eyes suddenly widening at the name of the contact who just texted him.

__

From : Darth Vader

__

**_*smiley-face*_ **

__

**_Back from the trip._ **

__

__

Keith snorts, smiling warm-heartedly at the silly use of smiley faces, but frowns at the thumbs-up emoji that soon follows the second text. He types a reply as quickly as his pianist-fingers allow him 

__

To : Darth Vader

__

**I told you to stop using that emoticon. It’s cringe.**

__

__

From : Darth Vader

__

**_Are you free tomorrow?_ **

__

__

To : Darth Vader

__

**Yes, Shiro, I’m coming over. It goes without saying**

__

__

From : Darth Vader

__

**_*smiley-face*_ **

__

**_Perfect._ **

__

**_I brought you souvenirs_ **

__

__

They’re not that important, but Keith’s always grateful.

__

To : Darth Vader

__

**Dank je**

__

He thanks him in Dutch since Shiro, like the good older brother that he is, always encourages him to talk more and practice his language skills on him. (not like saying *thank you* is rocket science, but Shiro is always happy to help in any way). 

__

Remembering what he was doing, Keith looks around, scanning trees and groups of students as they walk by. He completely lost the Spanish-guy, but the small sting of disappointment is replaced by the thought of seeing his brother after almost 2 weeks since his departure 

__

His phone buzzes again. Getting it out, he notices another text from …Shiro 

__

:|

__

…Another fucking thumbs-up emoji. 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ILR = "Interagency Language Roundtable scale; is a set of descriptions of abilities to communicate in a language."  
> \- Taken from Wikipedia 
> 
> Also, Keith has Shiro as Darth Vader because :  
> a. He’s never watched Star Wars, but Shiro has, and he likes to annoy him with the nickname  
> b. Keith studies Dutch and Vader basically means Father. It’s meant ironically, of course


	3. Verona is a pretty name

_**We sometimes think we want to disappear, but all we really want is to be found.- Adna** _

There’s a huge bag of German sweets and other delicacies on a table in front of the couch Keith is seated on, and he has been eyeing it for the past 20 minutes. 

He’s frowning, staring at the ceiling with his arms crossed, sighing loudly. “How long does it take to make a coffee!” 

“I’ll be right there!” a voice is heard from the kitchen. 3 minutes later, Shiro joins him on the couch “You don’t even drink coffee, though”

Shiro is a tall, chiseled 26 year-old company worker, with dark black hair, sporting a fashionable undercut. Despite the many hours spent in offices, he still finds enough time to hit the gym. It calms him down, apparently.

His eyes travel to the bag he brought back from his business-trip in Germany. He points with his chin towards it before taking a sip of coffee “You didn’t look inside?” 

“waited for you” Keith mumbles, finally digging his hands into the bag he received. Apparently sweets are what Shiro considers to be souvenirs, and technically, he’s not wrong. 

There are, naturally, almost a dozen bags of Haribo gummies (bears, worms, mini coke bottles, sour cherries) and Kinder chocolates, varying from Kinder Bueno, to Kinder Eggs and some other types Keith had no idea existed. He feels like a kid and shakes his head, smiling lightly, not even embarrassed by his obvious joy. 

He takes a Kinder Bueno, leaning with his back fully against the backrest, tucking into Shiro’s side. He rips the package apart, offering a twin chocolate bar to his brother before letting his head fall against his shoulder.

Keith resembles a cat in many ways, or so he has been told. He may sometimes struggle with words, but his actions never fail to help him express his emotions. He’s just the type of person who would rather show than talk.

For nearly half an hour they stay and eat in a pleasant, comfortable silence until Shiro seems to ruin it with his inevitable questions. 

”How’s college so far?”

Keith closes his eyes, sighs through his nostrils and straightens his back, suddenly not in the mood to use his brother as a pillow.

”Great.” 

“Anything going on lately?”

He shrugs “Not in particular.” 

It’s rather rude, the way Keith’s acting, and he knows it. Shiro shouldn’t be treated like this for asking about his whereabouts…but Keith simply hates this subject they’re about to indulge in.

“And?” the older man tries.

“And what.” 

Shiro sighs from the bottom of his existence as he slumps in his seat. He blinks at his baby brother, then turns his gaze towards the ceiling.

“You never tell me interesting stuff, anymore. “

 _I don’t want to bother you._ is what Keith wants to say. But, instead…“Define _interesting_ ” 

The man takes a sip from his cold, sweet and extra strong beverage, hand waving around in small, round motions imitating the wheels of a moving bike. 

“You know, exciting things that happen to college students-” 

“I try to avoid said exciting things as much as possible” 

Shiro’s brows rise in concern. He feels there’s something he’s missing, something he should know about – should he ask? Asking apparently annoys Keith even more. 

They take a break and breathe before Keith bursts out exactly what is bothering him, the way he usually did when they were younger.

“I don’t exactly understand what kind of amazing story I’m supposed to tell you”

”I didn’t mean it like that-”

”I know that some might expect great things from me. Like big, grand things. Booming career, huge salary, everything under control, just like you.”

Shiro feels the need to interrupt and deny everything, but he chooses to remain quiet and wait. Keith is not done yet.

”What if-“

He is clearly struggling to find the proper words, yet Shiro keeps his mouth shut. This isn’t a fight between them anymore – (it never was) – it’s more of an inner conflict of Keith’s, and the boy has to solve it on his own.

“What if I don’t want to be that guy? What if I want to live contently in a sloppy apartment with a plant named Verona and my bike and a bookcase. What kind of worldwide harm would then happen?”

… 

It’s all clear now.

Shiro sighs, relieved, having feared the worst. He’s aware that words wouldn’t help him deal with Keith and reassure the boy that everything will be alright, that he’s not supposed to do anything for the sake of no one.

Keith wouldn’t immediately accept that fact, anyway.

Instead, Shiro calmly places his empty cup on the table, smiling softly, digging inside the bag he brought and fishing out a pack of Haribo Gummy Worms. He grabs a couple and holds them up above his head, then eats them like they are spaghetti. It’s childish and familiar, it’s the way Keith and him always ate them, many years ago. 

The bag is placed on Keith’s lap, Shiro contently sliding lower, so his head can now lay against his brother’s shoulder. Due to their height difference, it’s not exactly comfortable, but it’ll do.

“Verona is a pretty name, Keith” 

Keith rips off the head of a worm, chewing slowly.

“yeah, I know” 

_**XXX** _

It’s Monday again, 2 days after his visit to Shiro’s apartment, and Keith is keen on finally looking for the ideal plant. Thus, there’s no better place to go to than _Juniberry Flowers_ , closest flower shop in town.

The owner is at the front desk, furiously typing on her computer, a deep frown on her brown-skinned face in deep contrast with her white-dyed locks. She usually lets them loose on her shoulders, but today it seems she opted for a French braid. Her roots are also showing, but they actually make everything better looking. 

She senses his presence and looks up, eyes widening in surprise before giving him a big, honest smile.

“Keith!” she exclaims, excited and relieved.

”Yep, it’s me” he smiles back, hand reaching his nape.

“It has been so long!” she grins, eyes sparkling for a second ”What brings you here?” 

Her accent is strong, voice a little deep and husky, adding to the atmosphere of mystic and unknown of the place. The way the “s” is pronounced only adds to the elegance of Allura Smythe’s speech, many clients admitting the fact that they often come by her flower shop just to hear their favorite florist speak. 

“What is Matt doing to your front door?” Keith absentmindedly dodges the question, pointing behind his shoulder. 

“Ugh.” crystal-eyes roll displeasingly “Last night, a group of vandals decided to break into the shop. Fortunately, they were spotted and fled before having the chance to take or damage anything” she resumes typing away, abusing the keyboard as usual. “Matt is trying to install an anti-theft device-“

“ _trying_ is an ugly and unnecessary word. I prefer the term _succeeding_ ” 

Allura squints her eyes at the man that approaches them, gloves in one hand, tool-kit in the other. “Did you, really” 

“Wanna test it out?” Matt slaps Keith’s shoulder in place of a greeting. 

“Me?” Keith inquires, confused and slightly unwilling. 

“If you want to help us” Matt takes off his glasses, using the hem of his T-shirt to wipe the lenses. 

“I’m just looking for a plant, I’m in a hurry-“ 

“Huh. In a hurry…That’s what you always saaay~” Matt sing-songs, mockingly shaking his index finger in front of the younger boy’s face, but gives up either way. He’ll do the testing himself. 

As he retreats to his work, Keith feels a tinge of guilt take form, a knot present in his throat. He knew facing these people would make him feel this way, still it’s for the best. He has to make some kind of progress, after all.

He glances around, checking the various sizes and shapes of plants and pots, not exactly knowing what to look for. 

Allura decides to attract his attention, eyes lifting from the screen “Would you like a plant for your own?” 

“Yeah” it would probably help him feel grounded, more responsible. Something-

“Easy to take care of, that doesn’t require too much effort” she smiles, leaving her seat, motioning for him to follow her into the back room. 

He nods, chuckling lightly as his feet take him closer. “Something that blooms, too” 

“Such as a Phalaenopsis, I presume” 

The complicated, foreign word doesn’t scare Keith, _he’s a linguist after all_ , still his brows furrow, waiting for an explanation.

Allura extends her hand, showing him a shelf full of colorful orchids, long leaves and air-roots sticking out of their transparent pots. Each plant has at least 2 branches with numerous, big and sturdy flowers. On every tag present on their pot, apart from the scientific name and other requirements, there’s also a written warning to not eat the flowers. 

Because the orchid, as far as Keith knows, is a parasitic plant, fighting against any type of weather, sometimes feeding off of trees in order to grow bigger and survive. A dependable being that simply needs a push, a little help at the beginning of its life. 

_Kind of like me._

He eyes one with simple, white blooms and focuses his entire attention on it, fondly touching its hard leaves, not even glancing at the other pots. 

Allura eyes him curiously. “Perhaps you’d like a succulent, although most of them don’t exactly bloom-“

“No, it’s fine. I’ll take this parasite” 

The words come out immediately, and Allura takes a few moments to blink and ponder over the strange appellative. But this is Keith, and he’s known for being confusing at times, so she lets him grab the plant and keeps her questions to herself. 

”Alright then.” 

As she explains the procedures of care taking to the new orchid owner, she can’t help but analyze the boy in front of her. Time had passed, yet that typical, sad glint is still present in his eyes.

_**\---** _

Keith opens the door with his hip, cradling his new plant – Verona – against his chest as if it were the most fragile thing on earth.

Matt is still there, on the sidewalk, rubbing his head as he checks his notes. Everything should work properly, he has faith in his skills.

Keith lingers near a window of the flower shop, searching for the right words.

”Hey, Matt?”

The 26-year-old with light brown hair meets his gaze, eyebrows raised ”Yeah, buddy?”

”How have you been?”

”Well, you know, the usual. Although more and more job opportunities arrive on a daily basis, there’s a lot I still have to do to reach my goal.” everyone and their mother knows that Matt Holt is studying hard in order to apply to an Aerospace Engineering program. “But I’m getting there” 

Keith nods, impressed and supportive. ”There’s no doubt in that” His tongue tingles again, another unsaid question needing to be uttered. “And uh…how’s Katie?

Matt gives him the biggest smile he could muster, chest brought forward, thumbs up ”She’s just transferred, and we’re pretty proud of her. She’s officially a college student”

Despite skipping like 2 grades…wow, Katie really did it this time.

Keith can’t help his smirk, blinking at the ground, Katie’s words and future plans ringing inside his head as if they had talked barely yesterday. If it weren’t for his 2 month depressive episode and absence, he could’ve been there for her. And for the others, too. He realizes that now.

”Keith” Matt’s voice brings him back to reality, acting like an anchor “You should visit us, sometime.”

Keith fumbles with the plastic package in which the orchid’s pot is wrapped “Yeah, I’ll…I’ll do that” he nods, reassuring both Matt and himself. He takes 7 steps before hearing a voice calling after him

_“And bring your bastard of a brother with you!”_

_**XXX** _

Thursday night and Keith is doing exactly what Shiro might’ve wanted him to do. He attends a party.

The girl on his right is drunk off her ass, unable to focus or even sit straight anymore. Lucky for both of them, they’re currently sitting on a couch, as she keeps unconsciously shifting all of her upper-body weight against the hard surface that is Keith’s shoulder. He lightly pushes her away, she falls back again, he pushes her further, he almost knocks her down and grabs her arm just as she’s about to completely fall off the couch. 

What a party.

**_*We got champagne, and vodka.*_**

The girl on his left, however, is watching his every move, amused, chuckling _every single time_ at the difficulties that Keith encounters. She’s got long blonde hair and a pretty face accompanied by intense eyes that seem to look right at your soul. Keith knows her, she’s often spotted around campus and he even knows her name (but right now everything is just a blur, so he can’t recall it.) Right now she’s quietly observing the party, drink in one hand, and she wouldn’t be a bad couch-partner, if for one thing…

“So what do you study, again?” 

She strikes up conversations very easily. 

“Foreign languages” Keith finds himself answering. 

**_*Baby drop it to the ground like yass, bitch*_ **

**_*Back it up like yass, bitch*_ **

“Cool. What language did you pick?” 

“Dutch.” 

And now there are 2 options. He will either be asked why he chose this particular language or –

“Tell me something in Dutch” 

There it is. 

Keith sighs, already bored with all of _this_ , the place, the atmosphere and the conversation. 

“What do you want me to say” 

She giggles, probably having expected his reaction “I don’t know, anything that comes to your mind” 

(*)“Ik heet Keith. Ik haat dit feest en je adem stinkt van alcohol”

The girl blinks twice before snorting - so hard, she hurts her throat and starts coughing. She laughs and coughs and inhales while the room is spinning around Keith as people constantly pass by the couch he’s sitting on, as colorful lights dance around the dark walls, electronic music blasting through his ears. 

**_*Girl, please, please, baby, don't leave*_**

He pries clammy hands away from his lap, pushing the drunk chick for one last time before he gets up, deciding enough is enough and that the party is officially over for him. The mood is gone, (the mood was never there, though) and with a muttered _“See ya”_ towards Nyma (who is still breathing with difficulties) he enters the sea of people, avoiding sweaty bodies as best as he can. 

He gets it, _he really does_ , the feeling of longing for a night out in a club, being part of an awesome party, but that’s what you do when you have friends that are more or less willing to get shit faced with you. It’s what he did in high school with a little group of 3 sometimes 4 people, and back then everything seemed to last longer, as if moments were eternal and the concept of time was inexistent. 

He feels a hand grasping his shoulder and all alarm signals start going _Wee Woo Wee Woo in his head (why is Patrick Star’s voice in his mind while at a party? Try to act like an adult for once, Keith, gosh)._ As calmly as possible, Keith doesn’t turn, he just lightly shrugs the hand off and keeps walking, eyes focused on one thing : the front door. 

Once he finally reaches his target, he exits, leaving the door opened widely. Taking a deep breath in, he decides to wait there on the porch for a few minutes. If the person who grabbed him really had something important to say, surely they would’ve followed him outside. Right? 

Apparently not. 

Fifteen minutes later, a group of 3 students exits the house for a smoke. 

“Yo, Keith” a tall guy with droopy eyes and a red beanie on his head gives a little wave before lighting up a cig. He keeps it against his lips, sucking in hungrily before letting the smoke out through his nostrils “want a hit?” 

Keith shakes his head “thanks Rolo, but I was just leaving” 

The other 2 that came with Rolo start a conversation of their own, allowing him to fully direct his attention on Keith. 

“Leaving already?” he exhales again, clouds of smoke getting lost in the breeze. “Not feeling well?” 

“I’m not in the right mood for partying” he confesses, sure of the fact that Rolo will understand, as he usually does. 

He gets a nod in response “I get you”. 

Suddenly Rolo’s 2 companions sigh loudly while looking at texts on their phones. 

_“why the hell did we agree to be the designated drivers tonight”_

Rolo adjusts his beanie with one hand before inquiring “What’s up?” 

“Nyma texted. We have to drive Florona home, bro” 

“yeah, she’s puking on the couch” 

and that’s Keith’s cue to leave. 

_**XXX** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*) Translator’s Note  
> Dutch :  
> En = and  
> Ik heet Keith = my name is Keith  
> Ik haat dit feest = I hate this party  
> Je adem stinkt van alcohol = your breath stinks of alcohol
> 
> Also, Nyma didn’t laugh at what Keith said in Dutch (she didn’t understand a word), she just found his face amusing as he spat those words with obvious discomfort.
> 
> The song playing at the party :  
> Major Lazer & MOTi - Boom (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign, Wizkid, & Kranium)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTQYA8fkxM  
> I picked it just to show Keith’s discomfort towards the party :))


	4. Altea - their home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which important information is offered and everything slowly takes shape.

Monday, November the 20th

The lights are turned off, chairs are heard being moved around and the video-projector is turned on, a big, blue screen appearing on the wall in front of the class. Three students gather around the front desk, papers in their hands while the English professor takes a seat among the rest of the students, arms crossed against his chest. He’s clearly expecting a good presentation. 

A Microsoft PowerPoint is accessed and a slide with the title _“Altea – Our home“_ pops up. The shorter of the three presenters steps up, introducing herself and the presentation now begins, the three taking turns presenting the slides. 

”It’s the year 2017 when word of an island having been discovered in the Pacific Ocean spreads over the entire globe. The island is near the Ecuador and only a small portion of it is visible, as a result of a quite big earthquake that shook the world, back in august. ”

”The level of the ocean surrounding the island proves to be quite manageable, and soon officials from all over the world unite their resources in order to fulfill a common goal. Interventions start taking place, artificial polders are formed and soon excavations are made, a given number of archaeologists and even divers from every country being sent to study, inspect and discover. ”

”One of the most frequent questions asked by the people is whether this newfound island is actually the famous Atlantis, the legendary island of Plato, lost thousands of years ago in the depth of ruthless waters. ”

_A photo of what was believed to be the map of Atlantis pops up on a slide._

”After a decade it is concluded that, while Atlantis was and remains a legend, this newfound island is pretty much virgin territory, no signs of ancient civilizations having been found on its ever-growing surface. The authorities that united forces 10 years prior to this conclusion form a Council and decide to vote for the official name of the island. ”

”After a whole month of waiting, the new name is decided : _Altea_ , in honor of Plato’s Atlantis.“

”It’s the year 2030 and Altea is definitely promising a bright future for the world. Many claim it to be an Utopic land and a sense of ease is spread over the entire globe. People decide it would be best to unite forces and pursue different projects; they focus on real, serious problems and try their best to cease the on-going wars; they free countries like Syria, they help abolish the idea of a third-world country; they help countries like India develop and aid Africans in their battle against poverty and hunger. ”

_Pictures of people of all races, nationalities, sexes, working together, picking up waste, feeding African children._

”People are more open minded when it comes to aspects such as race, gender, religion, sexuality (of course, there are still a lot of the so called haters and complainers, but their numbers are decreasing). All the while, Altea is rapidly gaining artificial but steady and environment-friendly surface, parts of her being made up from recycled goods. ”

”It’s a hundred years later, in 2130, and while there are still no flying cars in the sky, racing around skyscrapers, man is now closer to space than he has ever been before. He is the same curious being that once lived in a cave, only now this being has plans of thoroughly exploring and even colonizing other planets. ”

”The so called _Kerberos Mission_ is the next global goal everyone is looking forward to, and only a couple of skilled persons will be allowed on the board of the ship that shall lead humanity to the peak of its greatness. ”

_You can find more information regarding the Kerberos Mission program by clicking the link below_

”The situation on Altea has greatly improved, its surface now closely catching up to Japan’s area. The island is now used as a mean of culturalization and development, universities being the main institutions that are found there. Apart from emergency departments (hospitals, police forces and firefighters), the only buildings around are flats students can rent, dorms, malls and a few hotels. ”

”In short, the whole island is viewed as a huge campus where young generations go to study for a number of years; afterwards the majority of them leave Altean grounds and either return to their own countries or get jobs on different continents. ”

”And while Altea is not a country, but more like a “base”, it has its own share of a few “natives”. Pure Alteans are quite rare, but there are no ways of differentiating them from other people, nor is there any reason to do so. They also tend to be in charge of personal businesses, being owners of various shops, cafes and restaurants.”

_Pictures of malls, restaurants and clothing-shops appear on the screen. There’s also a pic of a famous flower-shop…_

“Communication is still a little bit of a problem; while the majority of the world now speaks English, no language disappeared, and this fact only helped different cultures maintain themselves and their traditions, which leads us to certain walls when it comes to fully understand and respect one’s customs. Educating people, encouraging them to destroy the language and custom barrier is the main goal of the _Foreign Languages and Literature Department_ in Altea, where students have to pick 2 distinct cultures and study everything about them, from language to literature, history and traditions.” 

“Once they graduate, these students can pursue teaching careers, or they can take up jobs as translators or interprets. Only the best of the best could have a chance at being recruited and taking part of the _Kerberos Mission_.”

_There’s murmur going on in the class, people nodding at the given information, agreeing with the fact that a part of each one of them yearns to go out in space, get on board of that rocket. But only time will tell…_

3 slides later and the presentation is over. The presenters are met with applause and a big thumbs up from the professor. Suddenly Keith feels something poking his shoulder, but he shakes it off in favor of readjusting his chair. 

Everyone is back to their initial seats and the lights are turned on, Keith’s eyes trying to get used to the change. He glances to his right, acknowledging the fact that Plaxum is face-planted on her desk as usual, and that she most likely slept during the whole presentation. 

”Any questions?” the professor inquires, wiping the lenses of his glasses.

The class is suddenly very quiet, either thinking about formulating a question or simply avoiding the professor’s gaze. Soon enough another heated debate is started : about _Kerberos_ , about the next visit of the Ucrainian President on Altea, about whether or not the land they are sitting on is related to Atlantis after all (there are still some believers).

…

…

…And all of this information and ruckus, and Keith Kogane still wants to live a normal, ordinary life on Altean grounds.  
  


XXX  
  


”Was there any snow in Germany?”

Keith’s back to Shiro’s temporary place, sipping at a hot chocolate, despite the warmweather always present on Altea. They’ve been living here for the past 2 years and the concepts of _cold, winter_ and _snow_ are things of the past. 

Shiro is packing his bags, yet again, rushing to and fro between the rooms of the studio his company rented for him. Not even a week after his return on Altea, and he’s assigned to yet another job.

” there surely must’ve been some in the mountains, but there was none in Frankfurt since it’s still autumn now”

Keith nods, the margin of the cup rested against his lips. “I lost count of seasons”

Shiro’s back straightens, folding a pair of jeans and neatly placing them on top of a suitcase. He sighs, tired and quite bored of packing, before flopping down next to Keith on the couch, arms spread on the backrest.

He takes a moment to just close his eyes and breathe, mentally preparing himself for another tiresome trip, jetlag and sleepless hours.

Absentmindedly, he grabs the hot cocoa from Keith’s hands and takes a big sip, chuckling lightly when his brother angrily takes the cup back.

”Guess where I’m being sent to this time.” his knee bumps against Keith’s thigh with the aim of annoying him.

”Where.”

He purses his lips, poking Keith’s side “I said _guess_ ”

Keith twitches and slaps his hand away, fidgeting and distancing himself “I don’t know; Turkey.”

”Brazil.”

”Close enough”

Shiro snorts, his left hand poking Keith again, because although he’s tired beyond words, there’s also some extra energy left to annoy your baby brother.

”Will you quit it??” he hisses, holding the cup as far away from Shiro as possible.

”If I see snow, I’ll pack some in a jar for you”

”:| ha ha.”

Soon enough, the cup is forgotten on the table while Shiro’s got Keith in a headlock, laughing proudly at his brother’s vicious attempts of freeing himself.

”Say _uncle_ ”

”Fuck off!”

 _*Gasp*_ What foul language! Is this what they teach you at that University? 

Keith somehow releases himself, ducking and rolling away on the carpet, face flushed and breathing irregularly. He takes a moment to catch his breath before smirking, brows furrowed.” 

”I’m _so_ telling on you.”

Shiro’s eyes squint, a dozen questions already forming in his head. “Tell what to whom now”

”That you’re a bully like always” he breathes in, satisfied “I’m telling Matt”

”Keith.”

”And Allura” She’s quite intimidating.

Shiro takes a few steps forward, Keith takes a few steps back.

”I’ll also tell them you’ve returned to Altea and preferred to stay inside and sleep rather than call them and meet up”

”!” By now, Shiro’s eyes are as wide as saucers, “guilty” written all over his face.

”In fact I could just call them right now-“

”KEITH-!”

And a chase around the cramped studio begins, followed by another round of roughhousing.  
  


XXX  
  


Tuesday, November the 21st

The craziest things usually happen to Keith on Tuesdays.

He’s strolling on the alleys around campus after his last course for the day, enjoying the shade the tall oaks offer. There are squirrels all over the place, jumping from branch to branch. The students are used to their presence by now, but these squirrels are quite unique, their fur being white or cream, instead of the brown one might be used to see.

As his eyes follow after one said specimen, his gaze lands at the bottom of a tree, where the silhouette of a person is spotted. The person’s back is facing him, they are sitting on the grass, leaning against the tree like any other student, but there’s something about them that feels extremely familiar to Keith, from the light-brown longish hair, to the white and green shirt, to the way they heavily gesticulate while apparently yelling on the phone.

Creepy or not, Keith approaches silently, trying to get a better look but ending up hearing most of the conversation that is going down.

”What the hell do you mean _I can’t tell my left from my right_ , you clearly told me to turn right at the gates and walk till I see a _Public bathroom thingy_. That’s what I did!”

Keith’s breath is caught in his throat, eyes widening. He recognizes that voice.

”Yeah, I’ve got the stupid map, right here on my lap! It’s a shitty, confusing, 3rd grader scribble, that’s what it is!”

They slam the map against the ground and lean over it, tracing a finger over a certain route.

The sound coming from the other side of the phone is loud and it sounds like laughter.

”You know what, Lance? Why don’t you just shove the phone right up your ass and see if you can still laugh then.”

More laughter comes after that, accompanied by an _*Aaaw, don’t be like that!*_

”I’ll find the dorm on my own. Later, jerkface!”

They hung up, cursing at the lack of wifi that could’ve saved them from all of the stress. They’re so obviously lost, it’s almost painful to watch, the map of the huge campus being quite confusing, indeed. Not to mention its position

”You’re holding it upside down”

The person flinches and turns, brown eyes glaring up at Keith as if he had insulted their whole family. But as soon as they take his features in, all hostility is gone, replaced by confusion, then shock, followed by acknowledgement.

?? “KEith?!” they practically scream and he smiles, actually smiles, relieved and grateful.

”Katie.” His arms spread expectantly as she gets up, approaching him with a grin and his arms automatically rise enough for her to wrap herself around him.

She’s as short as ever, the top of her head tucked fittingly under his chin, and she even smells just like he remembers, of peanut butter sandwiches and vanilla popsicles, reminding him of childhood and playful fights, of running in a big yard and putting colorful band aids on scraped knees.

It’s a rather weird situation, actually. They were never this affectionate with each other, preferring to playfully insult rather than touch…but _absence makes the heart grow fonder_ , after all, and they haven’t seen their childhood best friend in almost 2 years. 

They pull away and look at each other, relieved to see they haven’t changed much. They both have longer hair and Keith is taller than before, but that’s about it, appearance-wise.

”Man, am I glad to see you. I thought months would pass till I’d spot you around campus.”

”Matt told me you’ve transferred here, I would’ve contacted you.”

Katie picks up her backpack from the ground and folds the map. “Was I really holding this upside down?”

”No”

”I knew it.” They chuckle, Keith’s eyes never leaving her face

”Did you move in the dorms?”

”No, I’m staying at Matt’s, it’s less stressful and he’s easier to deal with, rather than a bunch of loud, nosey peeps.

”Matt’s pretty loud and nosey, too”

”Yeah, but I can hit him and get away with it.” she gives a thumbs up

”You got accepted in the Aerospace Engineering Studies. Congrats”

”Yeah well, Matt and I were supposed to attend at the same time but then he went on and got born ahead of me and that kinda messed up our plans.”

Keith snorts before they hug again, more relaxed this time, until a polite cough attracts their attention and a yet another familiar figure joins them under the shade.

”Hey, uh, Pidge? Sorry for interrupting, I’ve just been looking for you and-“

”Hunk! Finally. Did Lance send you.”

”Pretty much”

Katie scoffs before turning towards Keith, pointing at him with her thumb ”This is Keith, my childhood friend” she presents him leisurely.

”I’m Hunk. It’s nice meeting you” the guy smiles, offering his hand

He’s bigger and a bit taller than Keith, but not intimidating at all, emanating warmth from every pore. He’s casual, dressed in military-patterned shorts and simple white top, a yellow bandana pushing his brown bangs back from his forehead. Keith can’t help but relax in his presence, taking the offered hand and shaking it not too firmly

”Likewise. I think I’ve seen you on campus”

”Most likely around the canteen, right?” Hunk chuckles “That’s where my practice takes place”

”You’re a Gastronomy student?” That’s impressive. “This means the majority of the new, amazing food we get is thanks to you?”

”Keith’s compliments are sometimes so fine, you wouldn’t believe him to be so socially awkward” Katie deadpans, smirking.

But Hunk laughs it off and appreciates the compliment, and the three of them soon start walking towards the dorms, where a certain *Lance* is apparently waiting for them, for Katie’s visit especially.

Hunk invites Keith inside, since he also lives there, but today is the last day Keith can spend with Shiro before his older brother leaves for another 2-weeks trip in Brazil, so he politely refuses.

Before leaving, he hugs Katie yet again, briefly and promising to see each other soon, and after nodding at Hunk, he makes his way towards the subway that will lead him to the center of Altea, where the rentable apartments are.

He checks his phone to see what Shiro needs him to buy and cringes at another *thumbs-up* emoticon that he receives. This guy really likes irking him.


End file.
